Quote:
Originally Posted by CFECO
Wow! I am sorry if I touched a nerve here, but the Govt. regs. I was referring to, are the exact ones that were mentioned back at me about the Japanese "Mini Trucks" making them too expensive to have here. I am referring to the Kei trucks, not old little Toyota or Datsuns. They were very good trucks, but were not in the "Mini" Kei class. It would be nice to have a vehicle for every purpose, but that's three vehicles to insure, register, park ( many HOAs will not allow multiple vehicles outside), maintain, and originally to produce. I am not saying everyone "needs" a (name the suv) but in many cases they do make sense, sorry.
Growing up, we always had a SUV, whether it was a 51 or 61 GMC pick up with a camper, or a 65 Chevy Suburban, or a Dodge Ramcharger. The Dodge was a daily driver and took the place of 3 vehicles.
On plowed roads you can drive most anything, in the sand, rocks, wash's, and up unplowed trails, pulling trailers, trees out of the road, etc. No one vehicle works as good as a 4x4 truck.
This is why I am here, try to make our existing vehicles "better",
and to come up with new vehicle from scratch, which will take a large step forward, sorry if that offends.
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You didn't really touch a nerve so much as open a can of worms
Keitora are available through farm related outlets that may sell JD Gators and the like. I don't believe they're street legal though, unless you put a slow moving vehicle sign on the back. Just like driving a tractor on the road.
Here are some at a farm show in Iowa last year.
Keitora by
Tyler Linner, on Flickr
Quote:
Originally Posted by CFECO
Out here 4x4's were in use on ranch's as long as I can remember, 57 years give or take. Willys wagons, trucks, and the FC's were abundant, along with Dodge Power Wagons, and occasional Ford Or Chevy conversions.
What happens in the Midwest, is not necessarily how it is everywhere, some of us, at least in the West do need trucks.
But just like I said in a post a few days ago, the two kids come to my place with their new Silverado's, jacked up,with 38" tires and they were "Two wheel drive". When I confronted them why?..."For the look", I was shocked. But that is what so much of todays society is about, the look, not who has a better idea, or is better qualified.
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If you've got a ranch I'm sure you could get some sort of tax breaks on owning a duty-specific truck. Then again, I'm no expert on insurance but wouldn't a commuter/grocery getter 50mpg Geo Metro recoup its insurance and gas costs over a 15mpg pickup truck? Depending on how much you drive of course.
Yes, I understand that some people need trucks. My aunt, a single mom, drives a 2500HD daily because she needs to pull a 5th wheel trailer a couple times a year, goes camping, has a dog and lives in Colorado. I get that.
Like it or not, though, the majority of the buying public does not own a car that needs to share commuting and ranching duties. Most of them will live in suburbs and own a Honda Accord, in which they will not drive in the snow because they don't know
how to handle it.
The Vogn is intended to act as a daily driver- if your family has two cars- one for each spouse- this can act as one of them to save on your gas costs.
This car is not intended to replace 4x4 trucks.
Moving on...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arragonis
Note sure - Its actually called Multi-Mode Manual and is a 5 speed, but I will have a look at the handbook which explains it all - common to both transmissions.
EDIT - there is no info in the manual except how to start it with the MMT (shift to N, press brake pedal). This definition is on the Toyota website
Ironically my Avatar was criticised when he made the idea of transverse engines and FWD popular in the 1960s. He was told his cars handled "too well" for ordinary people.  |
Ok, back on track!
Wikipedia makes mention of a manual:
Quote:
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Toyota has suggested, however, that only Aygos with automatic gearboxes are affected, and that those with manual gearboxes are not.[4]
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It's funny that all the old ads say FWD handles so well, because in a similarly sized/weighted car it really sucks. I can say this from experience. Pushing a FWD car to the limit is not as exciting (or effective) as it should be. In an ideal world every car would be all wheel drive, all wheel steer.